Crypto Exchange Bitzlato Restores User Access to Half of Bitcoin Balances, Report

Bitzlato users can now partially withdraw their bitcoin funds from the dismantled cryptocurrency exchange, according to a media report. The Russia-linked trading platform was targeted by Western law enforcement and had its France-based server infrastructure seized in January. Bitzlato Customers Allowed…

Ukraine Raises More Crypto Than Russia in Year of War, Analysis Unveils

The two sides in the bitter conflict in Ukraine have been relying on crypto assets and technology to support their military and humanitarian activities, Elliptic says in a report. According to the blockchain forensics company, the targeted nation has attracted more…

Darknet Market Solaris Hacked by Competitor, Elliptic Reveals

A leading marketplace on the dark web, Solaris, has been hit by a rival, according to crypto analytics company Elliptic. The Russia-linked platform, which tried to occupy space vacated by the busted Hydra, is believed to have conquered up to a…

US Treasury Sanctions First Crypto Mixer

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued its first-ever sanctions on a crypto mixer. The mixing service was used by Lazarus Group to process illicit proceeds from the $620 million crypto heist of the…

‘Ecstasy Kingpin’ From Brockton Forfeits $2.3M in Bitcoin to Massachusetts Law Enforcement

A man from Brockton, Massachusetts was sentenced to eight years in prison and forced to forfeit 59 bitcoin worth $2.3 million, after he was caught selling Xanax, ecstasy, and ketamine on the deep web. Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins stressed during…

IRS Expects to Seize Billions of Dollars in Cryptocurrency Next Year — More Than $3.5 Billion in Crypto Seized This Year

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has revealed that $3.5 billion in crypto was seized during the fiscal year 2021. This represents 93% of all funds seized by its criminal investigation unit during the same time period. The agency expects to seize…

Russian Government to Track Crypto Transactions With Help From Anti-Drug Organization

Russian institutions have responded to a call from а public movement for joint efforts to identify cryptocurrency transfers related to drug trade. The anti-drug organization, Stopnarkotik, recently asked the interior ministry and the central bank to investigate alleged connections between U.S.-sanctioned…

International Operation Dark Huntor Seizes $31.6 Million in Cash and Cryptocurrencies, 150 Arrested

Operation Dark Huntor, a coordinated international effort on three continents to disrupt opioid trafficking on the darknet, has led to the arrests of 150 people. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the operation has also resulted in the seizure…

Ukraine Security Service Busts Criminal Group Selling Bitcoin-Stealing Malware 

Law enforcement authorities in Ukraine have exposed a crime ring specializing in cryptocurrency theft and laundering of illicit funds for hackers. The gang, which provided services to clients on the darknet, has been dismantled as a result of a joint operation…